Consulting Approach

How We Can Support You

Building on the understanding that we have gained from talking with you, we will agree an approach to support you moving forward. This will incorporate development, delivery and the option to build your internal capability to be internally independent moving forward. We will jointly work through the following stages:

The Consultancy Phase

Developing the solutions

Delivering the development solutions

Developing in house capability option

The Consultancy Phase

Working with you we will identify where you want to be and where you are now. From there we will develop the solutions to work with your resource which may mean that we deliver to your people or develop your own internal capability.

Developing the Solutions

Solutions may include one or more of the following:

Group development training

One-to-one coaching

Development centres

Delivering the Development Solutions

Working with you we will build the programmes to include:

Workbook facilities, online or paper

Trainer notes

Slide decks

Developing in House Capability Option

Where required there is the opportunity to develop your internal capabilities through a train the trainer approach. This will include working with individuals, depending on current skill levels, to increase generic training delivery skills and being able to deliver the specific programmes being developed.

Options Available

We have a range of options to be considered to include:

Specific individual programmes to support a development needs analysis

One-to-one coaching support

Development centres to identify current skill levels and gaps

Developing Yourself

Planning & Prioritising Time

Managing time effectively is a challenge for most people as we cannot bank it or save it, just use it in the best way that we can. This is also made harder as we work in a fast moving, reactive and demanding environment.

Example Learning Areas

How to be more in control of time

The key principles of planning and prioritisation

How to hold on to planned time through managing interruptions.

Problem Solving & Decision Making

We are all required to make decisions in the roles that we have. Often decisions have implications and therefore we need involvement, buy-in and commitment from others.

Example Learning Areas

The key aspects of effective decision making

How to work with a specific problem solving process and Identify the different decision making styles

Ways to base a decision on objective information, applying influencing and negotiation skills where appropriate.

Personal Presence & Impact

Technical competence is clearly important in any role; however this is only one part of being personally effective. In addition individuals need to be able to communicate, connect and influence in order to have a positive impact on others.

The style of the session will be interactive with both group and individual activities to help to consider individual strengths and development areas, leading to a practical action plan which identifies the behavioural changes that attendees want to make.

Example Learning Areas

How to manage inner thinking to create a positive impact and impression with others

State the impact of non-verbal behaviour on others (real and perceived)

Build rapport and read the messages given by others.

Assertive Communication

Developing productive relationships with colleagues, clients and stakeholders demands a considerable amount of effort and the use of effective communication skills. Being assertive means that firstly we need to understand what it means, and secondly know how to do it.

Example Learning Areas

The meaning and benefits of being assertive as a preferred behaviour

The different types of behaviours and the impact on others

How to adapt behaviours to manage the responses of others

Influencing & Negotiation

There are many situations where individuals will need to use both negotiation and/or influencing to achieve the desired outcome. This usually involves moving a person’s thinking and position from where they are now to where they need to be.

Example Learning Areas

The difference between and combine the use of both influencing and negotiation skills

Identify and undertake the planning necessary to be a competent influencer/negotiator

Incorporate the negotiation/influencing process into a conversation rather than using an obvious step by step procedure.

Presentation Skills

Presenting information impacts on all of us be it formally or informally. We may need to present to one person or a group of unlimited numbers. Either way it demands that we are structured and professional in our approach. For many, there is a fear of presenting that gets in the way of delivering the message.

Example Learning Areas

The benefits of using appropriate language, tone of voice and body posture

How to plan and structure an effective presentation

Appropriate support materials

Strengths and development areas through feedback.

Facilitation Skills

The art of facilitation is a key part of achieving business results be it in a one to one situation or managing groups in a meeting environment. Facilitation requires a clear purpose and framework to focus the discussion.

Example Learning Areas

The key components of effective facilitation

A framework to keep the discussion on track

The communication skills involved.

Emotional Intelligence

While technical skills are always going to be important there is now more recognition that on their own they are not enough. Emotional Intelligence and the importance of leadership behaviours has become a powerful part of how we manage ourselves and our relationships with others.

Example Learning Areas

The key aspects of Emotional Intelligence

Awareness of the positive impact

Importance of personal and interpersonal awareness and actions

Developing Others

Performance Management

Managing performance effectively is critical to achieving the results required by the organisation for who we work. Everyone has the right to know ‘What is expected of me and how am I performing to that expectation?’ Performance appraisals give both managers and individuals the opportunity to agree expectations, give feedback and support development in a constructive and consistent manner.

Example Learning Areas

The key components of the performance management cycle

The importance of preparation and facilitation skills

The role of objectives, competencies, reviews and development plans.

Development/Career Coaching

Taking time out to develop people is a key part of being an effective people manager. It means being proactive in terms of allocating time to discuss the aspirations and expectations of individuals, and then putting in place the resource to make things happen in order to enable individual personal development.

Example Learning Areas

The key aspects of development coaching

How to work with both individual performance and potential

Development opportunities and how to put in place effective action plans

Holding Challenging Performance Conversations

A key area of managing performance is the ability to hold difficult conversations around the performance of individuals. This involves giving effective feedback, identifying the root cause of the issue and agreeing a positive solution. This should lead to an effective outcome and enhanced performance, however the danger is that the discussion is avoided and then under performance escalates into something that becomes more formal.

Example Learning Areas

How to use feedback to agree the ‘issues/symptoms’

The need to work with the coaching framework to manage the conversation

The importance of managing ‘under’ performance to a positive outcome

Giving & Receiving Feedback

For many, giving feedback takes them out of their comfort zone which means that individuals can either avoid it or not deliver the required message. People also can easily forget the importance of receiving the gift of feedback.

Example Learning Areas

Benefits and potential barriers

How effective relationships aid the impact of feedback

The importance of opening individual blind spots

One-to-One Coaching

Investing individual time can really make a difference in the confidence, motivation and business output, giving a return on investment which makes it a very cost effective alternative to group development. It allows personal time with an external coach giving a wider perspective on individual development.

Open coaching

A different approach may be to arrange regular days and then offer to the business to be scheduled by individuals to suit their requirements.

Driving the Business

Manging Change

Change has become a regular part of our everyday working. The fear of uncertainty that used to accompany organisational change is now being taken over by the dangers associated with staying the same. This means that we must manage the external and internal influencers of change and proactively look for change as a way of constantly evolving.

Example Learning Areas

The reasons and need for change

The types and stages of change

How change impacts on individuals and how it can be managed

Train the Trainer

Developing an internal training capability supports both technical and skills development. It may be for new and/or existing trainers delivering new and existing programmes. Used as a support for external delivery or for rolling out a new initiative training calls upon very specific skills to deliver an effective learning event.

Example Learning Areas

The role of a trainer and the skills required

How to structure a training session

The training techniques available

Development Centres

Giving time to people for their development is a powerful tool in terms of achieving business results and succession planning. Development centres create the environment for focussed individual development through observation and feedback linked to a specific personal development plan.

Assessor Observation Skills

Observing and recording behavioural information in an effective way is a major factor in assessing behaviours and giving constructive and objective feedback in support of an individual’s development. Being objective (recording observed behaviour) as against being subjective (recording perception and assumptions) is critical in this situation.

Example Learning Areas

The mechanics of the framework

How to describe a person’s behaviour in an objective way

The skill of recording behaviour and classifying against organisational competencies in a consistent manor

Interviewing Skills

Effective recruitment is a crucial part of achieving longer term results. Mistakes can be very costly even when it delivers the right person, when you take in to consideration the time involved, and then the training of the new team member. Get it wrong and implications are frightening.

Example Learning Areas

How to prepare effectively prior to the interview

The need to work with the key skills/competencies/attributes required

The importance of developing a question plan to gather the information and how to observe and record objectively

Leading & Developing Teams

Throughout most of our lives we are involved in teams. A team is generally defined as a group of people working together to achieve shared goals. In a working environment this can be departments, project groups, business units and whole companies.

Example Learning Areas

The aspects of an effective team

How to plot the development of a team around the team development cycle

The attributes of an effective leader

Our 7 Absolutes

1. We absolutely believe that we can make a difference to the business of each client;

2. Our passion for excellence is absolute and we refuse to compromise our standards;

3. We surround ourselves with absolutely the highest quality colleagues and associates, with our professionalism shining through in our energy and attitude;

4. To be successful, we absolutely must achieve goals, on time;

5. We value and care about our clients and each other and offer services which are absolutely the best;

6. To stay in the forefront of our market, we absolutely have to be innovative, believe in our own skills and keep learning and developing ourselves;